Jamshedpur, September 18: Tata Steel on Thursday launched its team ‘Chero Archers’ for the inaugural edition of the Archery Premier League (APL), marking another significant step in the Company’s long-standing commitment to nurturing sporting talent across India.
Archery Premier League, the country’s first-ever professional archery league, is modelled on the successful formats of Indian Premier League (IPL), Indian Super League (ISL), and Pro Kabaddi, and aims to showcase precision, passion, and sporting excellence on a national stage.
The landmark announcement and player selection of the Archery Premier League was held today at The Lalit Hotel, New Delhi, in the presence of Shri Arjun Munda, President of the Archery Association of India, Shri Virendra Sachdeva, Secretary General of the Archery Association of India, national coaches, and senior office bearers of the Association.
Representing Tata Steel at the prestigious event were D.B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President – Corporate Services, Mukul Vinayak Choudhari, Chief, Sports, and Purnima Mahato, Head Coach – Tata Archery Academy, and coach of the Indian Archery team.
Commenting on the occasion, D.B. Sundara Ramam, Vice President – Corporate Services, Tata Steel, said: “At Tata Steel, sports is a way of life and we have always believed in the power of sport to inspire. The launch of the Archery Premier League marks a historic moment for Indian sports, and we are proud to be part of it with our team – Chero Archers. We look forward to supporting the growth of archery at the national level and celebrating the incredible talent that this league will bring to the fore.”
Named “Chero Archers”, the team embodies Jharkhand’s rich tribal heritage and pays homage to the resilience and fighting spirit of the historic Chero dynasty. The team’s emblem powerfully symbolises steel-forged strength, traditional tribal patterns, and a forward-looking vision aimed at future victories.
Chero Archers Team:
- Mathias Fullerton: World Number 2 (Compound Archery)
- Katharina Bauer: World Number 9 (Recurve Archery)
- Rahul: AAI Rank 3 (Recurve Archery)
- Prithika Pradeep: AAI Rank 3 (Compound Archery)
- Atanu Das: AAI Rank 5 (Recurve Archery)
- Madala Hamsini: AAI Rank 6 (Compound Archery)
- Sahil Rajesh: AAI Rank 6 (Compound Archery)
- Kumkum Mohod: AAI Rank 7 (Recurve Archery)
The inaugural Archery Premier League will see six formidable teams battle for the championship, each proudly representing the cultural heritage and sporting spirit of their region:
- Chero Archers – Jharkhand
- Chola Chiefs – Tamil Nadu
- Kakatiya Knights – Telangana
- Mighty Marathas – Maharashtra
- Prithviraj Yodhas – Delhi
- Rajputana Royals – Rajasthan
Each team will field 8 archers (4 Recurve and 4 Compound), including 2 international players, bringing global experience and competitiveness to the league. In total, 48 archers will showcase their skills in this historic sporting event.
The Archery Premier League is a landmark moment in the professionalisation of archery in India. By bringing together top international archers and the best Indian talent, the league sets the stage for a thrilling, action-packed season ahead.
APL launches in New Delhi as six franchises stack up tremendous squads
48 archers were divided among six franchises today as the Archery Association of India officially launched the inaugural edition of the Archery Premier League at a grand event in New Delhi on Thursday. 36 Indian and 12 foreign archers were picked in the draft as all teams formed competitive squads for the first season.
The franchises – Prithviraj Yodhas (New Delhi), Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra), Kakatiya Knights (Telangana), Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan), Chero Archers (Jharkhand), and Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu) – stacked up their squads for the upcoming season with stellar line-ups in a thrilling draft that saw several twists and turns, as per a press release from the Archery Association of India (AAI).
The athletes were drafted across eight rounds, comprising three compound and three recurve archers each. To maintain fairness, the sequence of picking an athlete by a franchise was decided by a random draw across all eight rounds.
President of the Archery Association of India, Arjun Munda, said, “The launch of the Archery Premier League is a watershed moment for the sport in the country. Through this league, we wish to expand our reach across India, including rural and tribal regions. We are confident our archers will gain tremendous exposure through the league, which will prepare them for future events. In 2023 and 2024, India finished in second position in World Rankings, and now our goal is to move towards the first position.”
The first season of the Archery Premier League will take place between October 2nd and October 12th at the Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.
